


Anniveraries

by draagonfly



Series: NoiAo Week 2016 [2]
Category: DRAMAtical Murder - All Media Types
Genre: Anniversary, M/M, NoiAo Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-08
Updated: 2016-01-08
Packaged: 2018-05-12 13:47:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5668240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/draagonfly/pseuds/draagonfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>NoiAo Week Day 2!!<br/>Noiz and Aoba's (less than ideal) one year anniversary.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Anniveraries

**Author's Note:**

> My computer is about to restart but I really just want to get this posted. Not edited in the slightest, so I'm sorry for awkward wording and mistakes!

Aoba pushed the door open to find the apartment quiet and dark. Which would have been normal for any other day, but Noiz had told him he planned on being back early today to spend some time together before they left for dinner. He toed off his shoes and walked through the apartment, first checking the bedroom, then Noiz’s office, before finally settling in the living room. It was strange for Noiz to be late without calling first, but if he got held up at work then it couldn’t be helped. Aoba curled up on the sofa and pressed Ren’s forehead to wake him up.

“Ren, have you gotten any messages from Noiz?” He thought Ren would have notified him if he did, but he asked anyway, just to make sure. As expected, Ren lowered his ears in apology.

“I have not received anything since this morning. Are you expecting something?”

“No,” he settled Ren comfortably on his chest. “He isn’t back yet, so I wondered if I missed a message from him.”

“Are you worried? Your brain activity is slightly elevated.” Aoba shook his head. He wasn’t necessarily worried, though he did have an uncomfortable feeling that he couldn’t attribute to anything that had happened that day.

“Not particularly. It isn’t that late. It’s probably just because it’s today.” Ren nodded in affirmation and laid his head down on his paws.

Today was the one year anniversary of the fall of Oval Tower. Of course he had mixed feelings about it, but he and Noiz had decided that they would regard it as the anniversary of their relationship as well, to offset the melancholy atmosphere the day was sure to bring. It was fitting, in Aoba’s opinion. Oval Tower was destroyed, but so was the barrier that separated Noiz and Aoba. Today was the day that Noiz regained his sense of touch, and the day that marked the beginning of his Aoba’s new life together. They both felt it was more meaningful than any arbitrary date they could’ve picked instead.

Instead of brooding, Aoba smiled and readjusted Ren so he could turn towards the TV and flipped it on. There were still a couple hours before they needed to be anywhere. Aoba wasn’t worried. He pulled Ren tighter into his arms to wait.

* * *

Exactly 83 minutes later, Aoba was definitely worried. At some point he had begun to pace back and forth through the living room, compulsively checking his coil for messages.

“Ren, still nothing?” His voice was tinged with anxiety, and Ren’s tail drooped.

“I am sorry, Aoba. I will let you know immediately if I receive anything.” Aoba was biting his nails, a habit he thought he had gotten over years ago.

“I know, this is just so unlike him. He usually calls right away if he’ll be late, and we have to leave soon to make it across the city.” He sat down and pulled Ren into his arms again, burying his face into the synthetic fur.

“I’m sure there he has a reason for not contacting you.” Aoba felt a warmth on his cheek as Ren licked him comfortingly. “Please be patient.”

“I know, thank you, Ren.” It didn’t ease his anxiety, but he felt he would’ve been sick with worry without Ren to keep him grounded. Still, he couldn’t help thinking about the trouble Noiz could be in. Was he hurt? Or sick? Or what if…

What if he left again?

He felt a pang in his chest and squeezed Ren even tighter to get rid of the thought. It was stupid, Noiz wouldn’t leave like that again. He had promised, and Aoba believed him. His mind was working on overdrive, and he took deep breaths to calm down.

“Aoba, perhaps some music would help? Your headphones are in the bedroom.” Aoba nodded and stood. Ren was right, he just needed to relax for a few minutes. With Ren still cradled securely in his arms, he made his way to the bedroom noticing that Noiz had left Usagimodoki behind today. That explains why they hadn’t automatically notified Aoba when Noiz was behind schedule. He grabbed his headphones, turned on his favorite playlist, and settled down to let the music take over his thoughts.

* * *

It was now four hours past when Noiz said he would be home, and two since they should’ve been at the restaurant. Aoba had called and let them know, in broken German made even worse by his anxiety, that they wouldn’t be making it. Even his music didn’t help him anymore.

“Ren, what if he’s hurt somewhere? What if he got mugged or kidnapped or –“

“Aoba, please calm down.” He couldn’t be calm, not when Noiz had been gone with no notice for so long, today of all days, when they had planned to be together. Aoba didn’t really have any option but to sit and wait to be contacted. He had tried calling Noiz’s coil so many times he lost count, and the office had told him that Noiz had left when he said he was going to. He thought of calling the police, but he knew they wouldn’t take him seriously with his less than stellar German, not to mention Noiz had only been missing for a few hours. There were too many hospitals to call every one of them, and it would be useless for Aoba to try to search the entire city by himself. He tried Noiz’s coil one more time.

_‘This is Noiz, I’m not here. Leave a message.’_

“Damn it!” Aoba nearly threw his coil across the room. Ren nuzzled into his side in an attempt to comfort him, to no avail. He was so preoccupied with worry, he almost didn’t notice when his coil began to ring. He fumbled with the answer button, not bothering to look at the number long enough to know he didn’t recognize it.

“Hello?!”

“Um… is this Aoba Seragaki?” A voice he didn’t recognize spoke in a confused tone, and he realized he had answered in Japanese without thinking.

“Ah, I’m sorry. Yes, this is.”

“Good evening. I’m calling from Munich General Hospital to let you know…”

* * *

Aoba nearly knocked over an elderly man in his haste to enter the building. He stopped briefly to apologize, confusing the man even further by bowing, and ran directly up to the information desk. He cursed for the hundredth time his poor German skills, taking far too long to form his sentences.

“My name is Aoba Seragaki. I am looking for –“

“Ah yes, we were expecting you. You will want to go to the third floor, room 3004.” The receptionist smiled brightly, like she didn’t work in a building of death and sickness, but Aoba was already rushing down the hall. He was too impatient to wait for the elevator, so he took the stairs, regretting how out of shape he had gotten in the last year. He was panting by the time he reached the third floor, but he didn’t let himself slow down until he was standing in front of the door.

There, he paused, his mind finally catching up with his anxiety fueled body. This felt too familiar. He could pick out the differences – all of the text was in German instead of Japanese, the door was wooden and opened inward instead of the sliding doors in Midorijima – but the feeling was still overwhelming similar to those first few days after the fall of the tower. It was different, but it hurt all the same. Aoba turned the handle and gently opened the door.

“Noiz…”  Noiz was resting in the stark white bed, eyes closed and mouth slightly open. He didn’t seem to be in pain, though that might be because of the multiple IV’s dripping various medicines into his arm. His hospital gown was blue instead of green, complementing the deep purple bruises visible on his arms and chest. As Aoba approached, Noiz opened his eyes and met Aoba’s gaze only to look away immediately.

“…”

He was silent, and Aoba didn’t speak either. He had never wanted to see Noiz this way again. He couldn’t stop himself from walking straight up to Noiz’s side and wrapping him a firm hug, tears finally threatening to fall.

“Brat…” If his hug was hurting Noiz’s injuries, he didn’t react, just leaning into the embrace almost hesitantly.

“I’m sorry.” Aoba squeezed harder. “I was walking to the parking garage and some asshole ran a red light.”

“Don’t be sorry, idiot. It’s not your fault.” He let go and sat down on the edge of the bed. “I was worried sick. Are you – well I mean, you’re not alright, but –“ Noiz gently took his hand and kissed the back of it.

“I’m fine. I’ve had worse, as you know.” He grinned and Aoba frowned. Noiz squeezed his hand. “Really, I’m fine. After having a block of concrete fall on my back, this is nothing.”

Aoba recognized that Noiz was trying to make him feel better, but getting hit by a car was just about as bad. The nurse on the phone said Noiz had several fractured ribs and a concussion, though it didn’t seem to have caused any severe damage. He had been unconscious, and his coil had been damaged which was why no one had called earlier.

“Hey, stop thinking so hard. I’m right here.” Aoba looked up to meet his eyes, and found his vision blurred again with tears. “I’m sorry for ruining our anniversary. Can we reschedule?” Aoba couldn’t help but laugh. Leave it to Noiz to try and be practical when he could barely move.

“I don’t you, don’t apologize. I’m just really glad you’re alright. You have no idea how worried I was. Ren said it was a record.” He shifted to lay down next to Noiz, barely able to fit in the tiny hospital bed, and rested his head on an uninjured part of Noiz’s chest.

“I can imagine it. I bet you were pacing, trying to call my coil and the office, and squeezing Ren to death when it didn’t go through.” Aoba could hear the teasing in Noiz’s voice, which normally would have annoyed him, but now it just meant that Noiz was alright. He could handle some self-deprecating humor.

“It just reminds me, you know? Of before.” He felt Noiz nod against his hair. “I think we should be careful next year, just in case this becomes a pattern.”

“Yeah.” Noiz kissed Aoba’s temple. “I’d better take the whole day off. Maybe the whole week, just to be safe.” Aoba chuckled and rolled his eyes, cuddling in closer to Noiz’s side. Surprisingly, he wasn’t too worried about someone walking in on such an intimate scene.

“But hey, it’s not all bad.” The grin was tangible in Noiz’s voice and Aoba immediately became suspicious, looking up to see Noiz grinning deviously at him. “How many people can say they’ve had hospital sex in two different countries?”

He thought he was used to Noiz’s impure mind by now, but it was apparent in the blush that travelled up to his ears that he wasn’t.

“You-! Perverted brat!”

“Ouch.” Noiz flinched when Aoba flicked his forehead, and he almost felt bad if it wasn’t for the smile still stuck on Noiz’s face.

“You are unbelievable.” Even bedridden, this brat was insatiable. He tried to pout, but now that Noiz had brought it up, it did seem pretty impressive… It wasn’t ideal, but it was their anniversary. He could succumb to his inappropriately timed thoughts for one day.

“You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?”

“Sh-shut up!”


End file.
